Scrubbing machine



Nova 13 E923.

RA ZEFFQ H. F. BARRY SGRUBBING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1921 Patented Nov. E3, 1923.

HOWARD F. BARRY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TC THE IDEA-5L UTILITIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COMMON LAW TRUST F ILLINCIS.

SCRUBBING MACHINE.

Application filed May 9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Howano F. BARRY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Scrubbing Machine, of which the following is a specifi' cation.

My invention relates to scrubbing machines and particularly to anovel motor driven device of simple and effective construction.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a motor driven hand-operated scrubbing device which shall be simple to operate, efiective in action and adapted for use by unskilled persons.

In the machine of my invention I provide a plurality of brushes adapted for planetary movement under the action of a motor, which is mounted in a housing carried by a pair of wheels located substantially therebeneath. The housing and operating parts for the brushes are projected laterally from the motor housing, and constitute unbalanced weight with respect to the supporting wheels. In operation this weight serves to press the brushes against the surface to be scrubbed. The extent of the force exerted by the unbalanced weight is controlled by the handles engaged by the operator and acting through the medium of the motor casing. A. downward force exerted on the handles serves to relieve some of the un= balanced weight of thebrushes and their housing. 7

The invention comprises other details and features of novelty which will be described hereinafter.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein.

Fig. 1 1s a plan view of a device constructed in accordance with my invention,

the handles being shown in a folded posi- UOII Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device with the handles in operatingposition; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the connection between the brushes and the brush operating shaft. I

In the drawings it will be seen that I provide av motor casing or housing 10 and a brush housing 11 A motor 12 is mounted 1921. Serial No. 163,0942. Y

in the motor housin and stub shafts 13 provide axles for rub er-tired wheels 14. A. guiding and operating handle 15, in the form of a- U-shaped member, engages the stub shaftsand in its operating position engages brackets 16 on the motor housing. The armature shaft 17, of the motor, terminates in a bevel gear 18, which engages a large disk or brush holder 19, having a face gear 20, near its periphery for engagement with the bevel-pinion 18. The brush holder 19 is pivoted on a stud 21, which, for convenience, is threaded into a gear 22 rigidly secured to the housing 11 by means of screws or cap'bolts 23.

Mounted on studs 24, in the brush holder 19, are idlergears 25, which engage with the stationary gear 22 and with gears 26 keyed to brush shafts 27, mounted for rotation in the brush holder. At their lower ends the shafts 27, as best shown in Fig. 3, are provided with grooves 28, in the form of two longitudinal parts joined by av transverse part of the form used in a bayonet joint. This groove is adapted to be engaged by a pin 29 rigidly held in a casting 30, having a sleeve 31 at its upper end, a radial flange 32, and a threaded lower end 33. To the threaded lower end is secured a wooden disk 34-, carrying brushes 35. As the brushes become worn the disk may be removed and replaced by another carrying new brushes. A spring 36 is contained in the sleeve 31 and bears against a washer 37 at its upper end. The arrangement is such that the cast-- ing may readily be connected to and disconnected from the brush shaft through the medium of the pin and the slot 28 in the manner of a bayonet joint.

It will be noted that the spring permits of certain freedom of vertical movement of the brushes, this movement being relative to the. brush shaft. Thus the shaft and its connected pinion may be fixedly mounted without the necessity of a thrust bearing and the bl'ushes'may have the required freedom of vertical movement to accommodate. themselves to any unevenness in the floor and to limit the degree of pressure which may be exerted by the operator.

The brush holder is provided with a peripheral flange 38, which underlies a portion of the housing 11, and suitable packing may be provided in order to make a tight joint and prevent the entrance of water. A

depending skirt 39, from the casing 11, serves to confine the action of the brushes and prevent the spraying of Water therefrom. A screw-cap 40 is threaded into an opening above the pinion 18 and provides for lubrication thereof.

It will be noted that the tread of the wheels-that is, the transverse space 00- cupied by the wheelsis less than the Width of the brush casing and therefore that the device may be operated close to a Wall and permit scrubbing along a baseboard. While I have shown onechanism including three brushes itwill be understood that more or less may be employed as desired. I have, however, found the number shown to be preferable.

In operation, the motor being rotated, motion is transmitted to the brush holder which rotates on its pivot 21. The idler gears 25', carried by the holder, are caused to rotate by reason of their engagement with the stationary gear 22, thereby transmitting -rotation to the brush gears 26 and tojhe brushes connected thereto. Thus the brushes'simul taneously revolveand rotate. It will be noted that the brush holder rotates in one direction and that the brushes rotate in an opposite direction. This serves to balance the entire machine and prevents the machine from running away if released by the operator.

It will be noted that the weight. of the brush housing and associated parts is unbalanced, and the weight thereof is exerted on the brushes. The extent of the force imposed is controlled by the pressure exerted by the operator on the handle 15. By reason of this arrangement unnecessary wear on the brushes is eliminated and their life is ap preciably lengthened.

The device is capable of considerable modification and I do not wish to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a scrubbing machine,-t-he combination of a brush housing, a bnush holder "pivoted therein, a gear fixed to the housing, a

plurality of brushes pivoted on the holder, :1

, ear fixed to each brush, idler gears engaging said stationary and brush gears, anda motor for operating said holder.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a housing having a gear fixed thereto, a brush holder mounted for rotation at the axis of said gear,'gear teeth at the periphery of said brush holder, a motor having an armature shaft and pinion engaging said ear teeth, gears earried by the brush hol er and engaging said fixed gear and having a planetary movement. brush shafts mounted in said holder, and gears carried by said shafts and engaging said planetary gears.

Signed at Chicago, Ill, this 31st day of March, 1921.

HOWARD F. BARRY. 

